Improvement in staple-machines



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N-FETERS, PKOTLLLITHOGRAPMER. WASHINGTON, D Cy UETTEE STnTEs PATENT OEErcE.

BENJAMIN HERSHEY, OF'ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGN OR TO HIMSELF, E. GEER, RICHARD DUDLEY, AND RICHARD F. GAGGIN.

-l MPROVEM ENT IN STAPLE-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 113,663, dated Aprl'1l, 1871.

To'iall whom 'it may concern:

-Beit known that I, BENJAMIN HERsHEY, of the town and county of Erie and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Staple-Machines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, and to the letters -of reference marked thereon, making part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a side view, one of the plates of the :main frame being removed. Fig. 2 is a front elevation. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view on the line x Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of the plunger-die. Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of the guide-plate in which the plunger-die works. Fig. 6 is a detached view of the plate that draws the staple off the die.

The object of the present invention is to furnish such an arrangement of mechanism that in its passage through the machine any suitable-sized straight metallic rod shall be converted into a finished staple.

rIo accomplish this, my invention, in the first place, consists in a novel arrangement of the tube or box.v through which the rods, which have been previously cut to a uniform length, are fed to the plunger-die and rollers, whereby onlythe ends of the rods in their transverse passage through the feed-box are subjected to the direct action of the heat. The advantage of this arrangement will readily suggest itself to all familiar with the art to which my invention relates, for while the staple-rod is, in fact, cut cold, which is -far preferable to bending it while it is in a heated state, as the manufactured staple better resists the concussion of the hammer in driving when this is the case, still, at the same time, the ends of the rod are properly heated, and this is the only portion of the rod which it is advantageous to heat in order to properly convert it into a staple, as heat at this portion of their surface in no manner affects the finished staples, and at the same time renders the rod much easier manipulated than when its ends are cold.

My invention also consists in giving to the opposite faces of the plunger-die such form that, in connection with rollers and guideplates, through which it passes, and in combination with which it acts, by a single operation the straight rod is worked into the iinished staple. t

My invention also consists in an arrangement of mechanism whereby, at the desired To enable others skilled in theart to make and use my invention, I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation.

A is the tubular box or receptacle through which the rods that are to form the staples are fed to the plunger-die. rlhis box is supported by suitable bearings on the standard A' and the vertical frame B.

By reference to Fig. lit will be seen that this tube is so secured in its supports that it falls at a positive angle toward the frame B.

C C are two rectangular metallic bars or tubes, and are passed horizontally through the tubular box A, one being permanently secured to the upper and the other to the lower wall thereof. The relative dimensions of the tube A and the bars or tubes G G should be such that when the latter are secured in the former sufficient space should be left between the bars or tubes C C for the free insertion of the rods, as clearly shown in dotted lines, Fig. l, so that when 'the space between the tubes C G is lled by the rods being placed transversely therein the entire unoccupied surface within the tubular box A shall be divided into four passages or flues, the same being at the four corners of the box A. Of course, to accomplish this result, before the rods are inserted they must be out of such length that their ends shall touch, or nearly so, the side walls of the box A.

a a are fourgas pipes or jets, and are so attached to the box A that they enter the same at the four corners of its lower section or discharge end, so that when the interior of the tube. is. subdivided into four .passages or flues,

as hereinbefore stated, one gasfpipe shall heat:

each nue.

When the bars C C are of tubular form, as

Yit is almost essential they should be, in order to eectively accomplish the result aimed to. be attained by this portion of my inventionthat is, only heating the ends of the rod and leaving the remainder of its surface cold-they are supplied with water-tubes C', through Vwhich' water is supplied in a continuous stream at their lower sections and discharged at c c.

D D are two horizontal sliding plates, and are secured in suitable bearings in the sides of the frame B. In these plates D Dare secured the pressure-roller E and the grooved or,

ianged `roller E', E revolving in a iixed bearing and E' in a slot, d, the relative play of its axle therein being determined by the setscrews e e. This allows of the same machine being so adjusted as to allow of its working rods of varying sizes or diameters.

F F are two guide or flanged plates, andare permanently secured inthe front face of the frame B. These plates are shown in enlarged view at Fig. 5, the plunger-die working between the same and in the recess which is formed bythe iianges Fl F.

Gr is the plunger-die, and is connected by pivoted arms G and gwith the crank-shaft K,

vthe arm g being securely bolted to the shaft.

The plunger-die is a rectangular plate or bar,

and is faced, as is clearly shown ini enlarged view in Fig. 4. The outer or rear face, H, of the plunger-die is wedge-shaped in form, while its-front or inner face, H', is only wedge-shaped at-itsvsides, the center portion ofthe plate H being longer than the wedged sides, and terminates in azcircular head which has a slot, h, eut. through .its lower section.

L is a horizontal rod, and has its bearings in the standard A and the outer-wall of the chamber L1. The form of this rod isi-clearly shown in Fig. 6. L2 is a spring resting against the outer end of the rod' L, and so larranged that its power is constantly employed in driving the inner orV curved and recessed end of the arm against the inner wall of the chamber L1. This chamber Ll is slotted below itscenter line. In this slot and guide-bearing plates m m, projecting from the rear'v wall of the chamber. L1, works. the sliding -shear or cutting-blade M, the front wall, l, of-the chamber L1 acting as the stationary knife, between which and the sliding bladeM the blank ends of the staples are cut off. The sliding blade -M receives its mot-ion from the crank-shaft through the vertical arm Ml, secured to the crankshaft K, and the toggle-arms M2.

N is a sliding plate which closes the opening in the bottom of the chamber Ll, and through which the finished staples are discharged. This plate ismoved to and fro, so as to open atthe desired moment for the discharge ofthe staple throught-he bottom of the chamber L1, by means of a vertical arm, N-,

attached to the. crank-shaft K and the bellcrank lever n.

Of course many of the features herein described might be varied without in any manner affecting my invention. 4

The gas-pipes a. a. could readily be dispensed with and the tubular box A heated by other means and still effect the same result.

The operation is as follows: A continuous 4stream of water is supplied to the tubes C C, and the gas-burners a a are lighted. Rods cut Ito a suitable length are now introduced between the tubes G C and transversely across the box A. To the ends of these rods, both on their upper and lower. faces, an in tense heat is applied, as it were, through four iiues. Thus the ends are heated in order to be more readily manipulated by the die-face H and roller E', while the centers of the rods, owing totheir Contact with the tubes C C, and supplied as they are with a continuous stream of fresh Water, are kept comparatively cool, which secures tothe finished staples all 'the advantages resulting from being bent cold, which, asis well known, alwaysrenders them firmer, and consequently better enables them toresist the concussion of the hammer in driving. The tube or box A being thus -lledymotion is imparted to the entire operating mechanism through the crankshaft K; This-elevates the plunger-die G, which, falling on the lower rod, which has just escaped from ,the box A, carries it down between the rollers E" El a'nd the flanged plates F F.

The rear or wedge-shapedv faceof the die comin g in contact with the roller E causesthe plates D D to slide/back, which brings the flanged faces of the roller E', owing -to` the wedge face H of the plunger-die, to bear with a powerful and gradually-increasing force on the rod, which now has already been bentgby being driven between the center portion ofthe die-face H andthe platesF F. Thisincreasing pressure on the armsof the staples by the roller E, and'they resting as they. do against the wedgeshaped portion of thedie-face H', gives the -desired tapering form=to the ends of the staple.

The plungerdie, Vafter itpasses through the rollers, strikes against the rod L, which,ow ing to its roundedhead, yields readily to the pressure until the staple passes it, when, the springzLZ- driving it into the slot h, itcatchesr the stapleand draws it-from-around the center portion of the die-plate H. The crankshaft now lifts the plunger-die and the staple falls on the plate N, from whichit is discharged at the opening at the bottom -of the chamber L so soon as 'the shear hascut oifits blank ends.

The shafts whichimpart-motion to the plunger-die G, shear or blade A, andslidingplate N are so relatively connected with the crank that its motion'at the desired moment imparts the necessary motion to the different features to insure the e'ective working of the machine.l

Having thus fully` described my invention,

what l claim therein as new, and desire to se 4. The cutting-plate M and sliding plate N, When the saine are arranged in the chamber L, in combination with mechanism, substantially as described, for operating said plates.

5. The improved machine for forming staples, when the same is constructed, arranged, and operated substantially as described.`

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

BENJAMIN HERSHEY.

Witnesses J. F. WALTHER, E. STRENBER. 

